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What do dinosaurs put on their French fries? Tomatosaurus! This is an example of the quality jokes The Clown Doctors use to have Central Coast kids in stitches of laughter during their hospital rounds.

The 2018 Clown Doctors roadside fundraising appeal is set to launch next week to raise money to help The Clown Doctors continue their monthly visits to Gosford Hospital.

The appeal will run from Tuesday 30 October until Friday 2 November with roadside collection points throughout the Central Coast.

The Humour Foundation Fundraising Manager Ian Doig said the roadside collection appeal has become an important, annual event as residents from the Central Coast help fund their own Clown Doctors Program.

All funds raised stay on the Coast to ensure local kids benefit from the magic of Clown Doctors.

“We are excited to hold this event again – every year we are blown away by the support of the Central Coast community and we’re really confident everyone will get behind the appeal again to ensure the program continues at Gosford Hospital,” Mr Doig said.

Divisional Director of Central Coast Kids and Families (CCLHD) Louise Waymouth said the impact The Clown Doctors program had on local young patients was incredible.

“Our staff often see children come to hospital feeling anxious and afraid but a visit from The Clown Doctors has them laughing and forgetting their fears,” Ms Waymouth said.

“Kids cope much better with painful procedures when the ‘doctors’ are around to distract them and it makes it easier for our staff to help them.

“We have even scheduled an outpatient appointment around a Clown Doctors’ visit so they could distract a particularly anxious patient,” Ms Waymouth said.

“Every Clown Doctors visit brings joy to sick children and we ask our local community to support this appeal so our young patients can continue to benefit from having them around.”

Volunteers will be donating their time to run collection points over four days. They will be recognised by colourful wigs, Clown Doctor coats, bright pink buckets and large cut out smiles.

If you are unable to make it to a collection point, please head to: https://donate.clowndoctors.org.au/payment/default.aspx to make a tax-deductible donation.